Ghost Hunters: Echo
by TinyHands
Summary: My name. Oh, what I'd give to hear it again. With a sigh I carefully touched a fingertip to my lips. No one calls you're name when you're already dead. Skulker's back from the Ghost Zone and this time he's brought a little help. "I want to learn how to become a Ghost Hunter."


**My first Danny Phantom fanfic ever, so I hope you enjoy :)**

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**_In the Ghost_ Zone...**

God, it was always so cold. I shivered slightly, a reflex that had imbedded itself within me. Carefully, my muscles clenching tightly as I stood, I made my way to the edge of the rock. It was floating tremulously in the endless green sky of the Ghost Zone, narrowly avoiding other approaching rocks. A dark place, vast and lonesome. I can't sleep, can't eat, just wandering and hoping that even the smallest thing might ease my boredom. Some of us have escaped to wreak havoc in the human world but I don't even bother. What's the point?

My name does not glitter on the edge of any lips, it is an old title that hasn't been spoken in years. I remember what it sounded like, a feminine name that would smoothly glide off the tip of the tongue, yet I couldn't quite recall the word. Oh, what I'd give to hear it again. With a sigh I carefully touched a fingertip to my lip, one cold little fingertip. The only way I'd hear it again was through my own lips. No one calls you're name when you're already dead.

I smiled bitterly. Calm and serene, never to reach the age of seventeen. Years passed and birthdays came and went but I'll never live to see them, always sixteen, sweet sixteen. I laughed a little bit, but I was past the years I wasted wallowing in tears. Now I was bitter, alone, cold.

I lifted one foot and slowly stepped right off the edge. I swear my non-beating heart gave a slight jump as I plummeted like a rock into the endless green, hesitating a moment before rocketing upwards.

Flying for ghosts is a bit like being a balloon tied to the earth. All you have to do is slowly untie the knot. Such things are easy when you don't have to worry about getting hurt.

I hovered a moment, staring out across the world. Rocks floated aimlessly by, occasional fortresses atop them (belonging to others who were also condemned to the afterlife). Unlike them I didn't have the resources to build. Hell, who needs a house when you can't even sleep?

A few stray ghosts brushed by me, eyes wide, a stream of glowing blue plasm left in their wake as the rushed away.

"What are you-" _Smack._

"Pardon me." I murmured, blinking and rubbing my forehead. It was throbbing, aching like I had bumped into a steel wall. Maybe that's because I had.

"Out of the way child." A huge ghost commanded, looming over me, eyes narrowed. Child? His eyes widened as I chuckled darkly.

"Oh, if you only knew." I laughed. He lunged at me, hauling me up by the shirt so fast that my afterlife nearly flashed before my eyes.

"Don't_ patronize_ me." He hissed, his face alarmingly close to mine. "Do you even know who you're talking to?"

"No…?" I choked, clutching at the hand on my shirt. _Fear_. I had almost forgotten what this felt like.

"Skulker." He replied, grinning and standing up straight, a sparkle in his glowing green eyes, his fiery hair glinting. "I'm the greatest Ghost Hunter in the entire Ghost Zone and you better not forget it." A hunter? I'd heard of Hunters in the ghost zone before, but I'd never seen one. I'm a small fry and no one would gain anything by having my head mounted on their wall.

"Skulker?"

"What are you, an echo?" He demanded, thrusting me away from him. I wheeled backwards through the air before regaining a safe float a little ways away. An echo? I smiled, then, opening my mouth and pursing my lips, I spoke.

"_What are you, an echo_?" I called, pulling the sound from my throat. Skulker stared at me, eyes wide as his voice came from my lips. He collected himself cautiously, then his lips curled into a smile.

"What is your name, child?" My name? I opened my mouth and this time nothing came out. I looked into his eyes sadly, shaking my head. He snorted so I tried again.

"E-Evelyn"

"Weird."

"Who, me?"

"Yes,_ you_. Your talents might be useful but you lack any..." He paused a moment, considering. "Style." He finally decided.

"And you have style?" I questioned. The look on his face silenced me.

"You have a skill that I may need." He amended, "Perhaps an alliance may be in order."

"An alliance?"

"Perhaps. First, you need a new name. Yours is terrible. Not scary at all."

"I don't want to be scary."

"Then be cool!" He shot back, face palming.

"But I don't have another name."

"Then choose your own name." He growled. My own name? Silly, why would I want to do that?

"Echo…?"

"That's what I called you before."

"I know and…I think I like it." He sighed.

"Can you copy any voice?" He asked. I shrugged. I'd never really tried.

"You're useless then. Out of the way." I glowered at him. _I_ can call myself useless. He can't.

"_Useless. Useless_."

"Stop that!"

"_Stop that!_" He was on me in a second, one gloved hand around my throat, the blaster attached to his shoulder aimed at my head.

"I'm starting to think your head might look nice on my mantelpiece." He ground out. Looks like I was wrong on that count, then.

"I'll do it." My mouth had moved before my brain had time to think, "I want to learn how to become a Ghost Hunter."

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**Good? Bad? So Absolutely terrible that**

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** you set your screen on fire? Please review! :)**


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